By Aleah James – Staff Reporter

The Weeknd is a popular R&B artist. Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, he grew up in a difficult environment in Scarborough, Toronto. Abel was raised by his mother and grandmother after his Ethiopian immigrant parents separated. He dropped out of high school at age 17, left home, and began a lifestyle focusing on chasing what he desired, which was a career in music. He adopted the stage name “The Weeknd.” He decided to drop the “e” off to avoid trademark issues. His career took off after releasing his first mixtape, “House of Balloons” which received co-signs from singer Drake, which led to a record deal and international fame. 

The songs in this album are about late nights, heartbreak, and craving connection while pushing everyone away. It’s messy on purpose. His voice is soft and smooth, but the lyrics hit hard – he’s not sugarcoating anything. Songs like “Wicked Games” and “The Morning” pull you into his world where everything feels cool on the outside but kind of hollow underneath. That contrast is what makes it feel so real.

The beats go from echoey and spacey to  chaotic. It samples parts like a rock band here, a weird sound effect there – and it somehow blends into this soundtrack for anyone who’s ever stayed up too late overthinking everything.

Even now, “House of Balloons” still holds up. It shaped a whole generation of R&B artists who leaned into their emotions instead of hiding them. And it made The Weeknd a name to remember – before the Super Bowl performances, before the Grammys, and the pop hits. This was the raw beginning.